Supporting Learning Environment Level 3

To support students to develop understanding of characteristics of technology at level 3, teachers could:

• provide students with examples of different technologist’s practice and guide them to identify how social and environmental issues could have influenced their decision making about; what should be made and why, how planning should be done and what resources should be used, how materials could be manipulated and tested, how outcomes should be evaluated, and manufacturing considerations
• provide students with the opportunity to explore a range of technologies and guide them to determine why they have changed over time. Reasons for changes include such things as changing needs, fashions, attitudes, ethical and environmental stances etc., or the development of new materials, skills and knowledge
• guide students to determine the impacts different technologies have had on society and/or the environment over time
• provide students with opportunities to discuss technological knowledge as knowledge that technologists agree is important for the development of a successful outcome and that if this knowledge is useful for a number of situations it can be codified for quick reference. For example; material tolerances, ratios, dosage.

Describe how societal and/or environmental issues can influence what people decided to make, how they would undertake planning, the selection of resources, and how they would make and test an outcome

Use discussion starter cards to engage students in debate

Cards contain written descriptions and/or pictures of a social and/or environmental issue (e.g. recycling, obesity, security, reducing consumption) and descriptions and/or pictures of real technological practice. Use these cards as starters to discuss how has XXX issue affected XXX?

Analyse contemporary and historical contexts where environmental and/or social issues have influenced the development of a technological outcome
e.g. open cast mining, power generation – turbines in the Kaipara harbor, wind farms, coal/gas generation, hydro generation, car airbags

Develop a set of questions specific to the context being studied.
Identify the social agencies (DoC, local iwi, etc) that would have an impact on decisions in how the technological outcome was developed.

Train powerpoint that explains what determined the gauge of train tracks.

Use to powerpoint as a means for students to identify consequences of cause and effect

Explain why particular technological outcomes have changed over time

Set objects, pictures and/or words that describe how a technological outcome has evolved over time e.g. can openers, baby buggies, egg beaters.

Answer questions such as:

• Why have they changed?
• What caused this change?

- Ergonomics
- Planned obsolescence.
- Materials evolved (plastics, synthetics, electronic components, etc)

Create a timeline of a range of dissimilar technological outcomes.

Technology student website – timelines activity

Students choose a technological outcome and investigate its development over history

Technology student website - bicycles example

Technology student website - clocks example

Describe examples of how technology has impacted on the social world over time

Using an existing technology talk about how it impacted on a particular group.

Discuss:

• what has happened to people as a result of the implementation of the technology
• how the technology evolved over time due to its impact on the group

Produce a timeline with photographs of the product as it has evolved over time and a description of what has changed

Topical images of technologies (e.g. milk powder, windmills, light bulbs etc)

What impacts have these technologies had on peoples lives?
Use De Bono’s thinking hats to get different perspectives

Interview an older person about the technologies they have interacted with

Interviews an older person who is able to talk about life in earlier times. Have students listen and then identify the technological outcomes/products that are not present today.

Describe examples of how technology has impacted on the natural world over time

Discuss changes to the physical environment due to the introduction of a technological outcome, Compare photographs from current and historic periods

Use a set of historic and contemporary photographs of similar technologies (e.g. bicycle) . Ask students to identify the key changes in the technologies over time and ask what may have caused these. Use Te Ara or Digistore to source images, audio and other information.

Identify that technological knowledge is knowledge that technologists agree is useful in ensuring a successful outcome.

Bubble chart of possible knowledge required by students to develop a technological outcome that addresses an issue

Students to:

• pick knowledge that they consider will be relevant to addressing the issue
• identify knowledge which is missing in the bubble chart

Need to know chart

Students answer the following

• what we know
• what we need to know
• how do we find out

Use Bro Town and/or Simpsons video clips to identify current issues.

What do I need to know to make 'this' work?

Provide students with an issue or need and ask them what do I need to know to:

• develop an outcome that addresses the issue/need
• evaluate the outcome as fit for purpose?

Focus students initially on identifying the generic knowledge which is required to undertake technological practice rather than specific context knowledge required to develop the outcome

Identify the specific knowledge (context knowledge) needed to ensure a basic technological outcome functions (e.g. a suitable food product as an afterschool snack)

For example, the specific knowledge required to develop a suitable food product as an afterschool snack)requires such specific knowledge as: ingredients, health and safety, safe oven use, temperature, utensils, cost, mixing, measurements, nutrition, storage, an understanding of consumer preferences, knowledge of evaluation including sensory evaluation, shelf life, cost, nutritional benefits etc.